Taking a year off.

Career Opportunities & Internships
1

<p>I am a student at Yale double majoring in English and International Studies. I am seriously considering taking a year off between my junior and senior year. If I decide to do this, I'll end up working abroad (pre for an NGO in French-speaking West Africa). I plan to work in international humanitarian aid after graduation and would really like to get some experience working full time for 9-12 months (I'm spending this summer abroad in Togo, but I would really like to work and travel for a more extended period of time).</p>

<p>Is this a good plan? I would only go if I got full funding (which would not be terribly difficult to do). I was planning to take a year off after graduation anyway, but I feel like taking a year off during school rather than after would prevent me from drifting or feeling like I was wasting my time, since I'd still be a student and would still have to go back to school. I also feel like it would 1) really help me decide whether or not humanitarian aid was something I wanted to make a career out of, 2) make me a much more compelling candidate for grad school admissions and fellowships, and 3) give me much needed field experience that would benefit me later on down the road when I try to get a job.</p>

<p>Sorry this was so long! I would really, really appreciate any feedback. I don't have to make up my mind for a while, but I do want to start thinking about it so that if I do end up taking a year off I'll be able to get the most out of it.</p>

2

<p>First, let's assume that you don't have a problem with leaving yourself a year behind your original class and whatever projects you have going on. </p>

<p>I don't think it's a completely terrible idea, but I question it's feasibility. There are so many new college graduates that want to go do humanitarian work overseas that there are programs that CHARGE large amounts of money to get people in, and are extremely popular. </p>

<p>Most local NGOs are wary of new college graduates. They are more expensive than local staff, they don't usually have many useful skills, and they have about a 50% failure rate. All those concerns would be magnified with someone still in college. Think about it, what can YOU offer an NGO at this stage in your life that someone a couple years older than you cannot? </p>

<p>If you just wait a year or two you will not only be much more marketable to NGOs, but you will probably get more out of the experience. Also, there are a variety of interesting and prestigious fellowship programs that would be open for you. Most people that do international humanitarian work follow this path: graduate college, work abroad/in policy in DC for 2-3 years, go to grad/law school. I would think long and hard about deviating from it.</p>